A conventional device and method for processing a carcass part of slaughtered poultry in a processing line are known from e.g., EP-B-2 606 737; EP-B-2 289 340 and EP 2 449 886. U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,354; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,539 and in particular EP 0 800 768 represent examples of other types of devices and methods in which cutting and/or removing of the wishbone from the carcass part is avoided. The general idea of not cutting or removing the wishbone is to avoid bone splinters. Embodiments of the present invention, however, relate to cutting and/or removing of the wishbone as opposed to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,354; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,539 and EP 0 800 768.
In conventional devices and methods, cutting and/or removing of the wishbone from the carcass part inevitably involves cutting and/or removing of (minute) fractions of the naturally present meat on the carcass part. It is a standing challenge for the skilled person operational in this field to reduce the fractions of naturally present meat that are taken from the carcass part during removal of the wishbone. These challenges and problems occur irrespective of the manner in which the cutting and/or removing of the wishbone is executed.